Confucius

Naha Confucius Temple (那霸至聖廟)

One of my numerous personal projects over the past few years has been to research and document the weird and wonderful history of Confucius Temples here in Taiwan and the roles that they have played (or at least attempted), in shaping Taiwanese society over the past several centuries. Unfortunately, there are still a few that I haven’t had the chance to visit, so this little project of mine remains a work in progress.

I always enjoy having something to look forward to though.

When my girlfriend proposed a week-long trip to Okinawa earlier this year, my first thought wasn’t “Japan? Hells Yes!” Or “Beautiful beaches? Sure!”, it was “Did you know that Okinawa has a Confucius Temple that pre-dates most of Taiwans?

To which I seem to remember receiving a bit of an eye-roll.

I might be a bit of a weirdo, but what better opportunity would there be to check out a Confucius Temple outside of Taiwan where I could compare relatively similar architecture and history?

Link: Confucius Temples of Taiwan

So, as part of our itinerary, we added a visit to the Naha Confucius Temple, which is conveniently located nearby the city’s most important place of worship, the Naminoue Shinto Shrine (波上宮) and is somewhere she really wanted to visit anyway.

Before getting on our flight to Okinawa, I purposely didn’t do any research about the temple as I thought it better to walk in and look at it with a fresh set of eyes. I felt like I would be doing it a disservice if I walked in and compared it to the various Confucius Temples in Taiwan, which tend to be quite large.

What I did know however was that the Naha Confucius Temple rivals that of the Tainan temple in terms of its age and that it was an important place of worship for many of the Chinese settlers who migrated to Okinawa during the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Going into this blind however almost ended up being a huge mistake.

I would later (luckily) find out that the Confucius Temple we had marked on our map was just the newest rebuild of the original temple and that there was also an older version located a short walk away.

So yeah, there are technically two Confucius Temples in Naha.

Initially, I figured that blogging about the Naha Confucius Temple would be a walk in the park like all of the other Confucius Temple’s I’ve become accustomed to writing about. In fact, whenever I visit one of these temples, thanks to their uniformity in design, I always know where to go, what to look for and how to make the most out of my visit.

These two were different though - not only because of their layout and their history, but I also had to learn a bunch of new terms in Japanese, which I then translated to Chinese and then again into English.

I was happy though to have been able to visit and learn about these historic places of worship and the important roles they played in Okinawan history and contrast that to the experience here in Taiwan.

The Naha Confucius Temple(s) might not be very high on the average tourists list of destinations when they visit Okinawa, but considering their historic and their cultural significance, it’s a shame that more people don’t know about them.

History

To learn about the history of the Confucius Temple in Okinawa, we first have to learn a bit about the history of the Ryukyuan Kingdom (琉球國), which ruled over the Ryukyu Islands between the 15th and 19th centuries.

The tiny island kingdom might seem rather insignificant in terms of the grand scheme of world history, but the role it played in the network of East Asian maritime trade cannot be understated. During its heyday, the Ryukyuan Kingdom was one of the busiest ports of call for all trade happening in East Asia.

Prior to the formation of the unified Ryukyu Kingdom, the islands were split up into three separate principalities known as the “Sanzan” (三山) or “Three Kingdoms” which consisted of “Nanzan” (南山), “Chuzan” (中山) and “Hokuzan” (北山).

In 1372, the Ming Emperor in China sent an envoy to Okinawa to establish tributary relations with the Ryukyuans. From then on, many Chinese were sent to the islands to engage in business or the affairs of state.

In 1416, Shō Hashi (尚巴志), then a prince of the Chuzan kingdom invaded Nakijin Castle (今帰仁城), capital of Hokuzan. He then formed a strategy to invade Nanzan and unify the three Ryukyuan Kingdoms under one banner - a plan which would take thirteen years to complete.

In 1429, Shō and his forces occupied Nanzan Castle (南山城), capital of the Nanzan Kingdom unifying Okinawa into one kingdom, with its capital at Shuri Castle (首里城) in Naha.

Emerging victorious and ending decades of strife between the three kingdoms, the Ming were quick to recognize Shō as the rightful ruler of the Ryukyu’s. This recognition gave legitimacy to his claims to the throne and the close relationship between the two kingdoms proved advantageous for both sides ensuring what would become known as the ‘Golden Age of Maritime Trade’ (黃金時代), making the kingdom one of the most important trading ports in East Asia.

Prior to the unification of the Three Kingdoms, China’s Emperor Hongwu (洪武帝) sent a group of 36 families from Fujian Province to Okinawa. The group, which would later become known as the ‘36 Clans of Kume’ (閩人三十六姓) settled in a small village in Naha known as ‘Kumemura’ (久米村), establishing the first overseas community in Naha.

The so-called ‘36 Clans’ were specifically chosen and sent for the purpose of aiding the kingdom in ship-building, promoting education, the sharing of technology and serving in the government in an official capacity.

It is unclear whether the number ‘36’ is factually correct, but what we do know is that the emperor sent Hokkien craftsmen, scholars and administrators to Okinawa to aide the kingdom in the development of a stable government and consolidating its naval power. The number of residents of Kume steadily rose over time and once the kingdom was unified, the influence of the village became much more significant.

Link: Ryukyu Bugei (琉球武芸) - “The 36 Clans of the Min-People”

Link: Kumemura (Wikipedia)

Kumemura was considered a privileged community comprised primarily of scholars, bureaucrats and diplomats and served as centre of culture and learning in the capital city for almost 500 years.

Today the area known as ‘Kume’ is geographically separated from the rest of Naha by the monorail and stretches from the Prefectural Office Monorail Station (県庁前駅) all the way to the port.

Today, the community prides itself on its literary and cultural significance and is widely regarded among locals as an area that has some of the best schools in the capital and for its Chinese cultural roots. After all these years though, Kume is also considered to be a bit ‘different’ than other areas of Okinawa.

With regard to the ‘difference’ created by the Kume community, it’s safe to say that the influence Kumemura had over the capital area created somewhat of a schism between the local inhabitants of the Naha area and other areas around the country.

This was due to the fact that the capital was culturally dominated by the Chinese immigrants for quite some time. Not only were the first schools in Okinawa ‘Confucian’ but the way the bureaucracy was run was also ‘Confucian’ in nature which mirrored that of the system set up in China. This led to the development of a Confucian set of values and policies that were almost non-existent once outside of the capital.

The dominance of Confucian values in the capital were not always looked upon favorably by the rest of Okinawan society which resisted, but the government’s push for modernization ultimately turned out to be successful in rooting out anything that was deemed to be primitive or uncivilized.

To assist in such efforts, Emperor Kangxi (康熙帝) gifted the capital its very own Confucius Temple in 1671 and from that time on royal rituals would be held at the temple in lieu of traditional Ryukyuan customs.

Indeed, one of the most unfortunate aspects of Okinawa’s modern history has been the concerted efforts by foreign powers (not only the Chinese, but the Japanese and Americans as well) to eliminate the culture, language and traditions of the Ryukyuan people.

These attempts, which started with the Confucian reforms in the 1600s lasted well into the 20th Century and only in the past few decades have the people of Okinawa been able to attempt to revive their language and culture.

Kumemura Confucius Temple (久米至聖廟) 1675 - 1945

As mentioned above, Qing Emperor Kangxi gifted a Confucius Temple to the people of Okinawa in 1675.

Confucianism though has played a role in Okinawa since the early 15th Century, which is significant (at least to me) because that predates its arrival here in Taiwan.

The original temple, which unfortunately burnt to the ground in 1945, would be 350 years old today.

For most of its 270 years of existence it served as a major centre for learning, was home to Okinawa’s first public school and was an important place of worship for commoners and royalty alike.

When Okinawa was annexed by Japan in 1879, the role of the Confucius Temple and the Kumemura community in general fell into decline. The on-site school would be converted into a public school under Japan’s national education system and any remnants of Confucian-style education or influence were removed.

A half century later, the bloodiest battle of the Second World War’s Pacific Theatre came to Okinawa.

What has become known as the Battle of Okinawa (沖繩戰) resulted in tremendous loss on both the American and Japanese side with an estimated 160,000 casualties. The people of Okinawa however suffered the most with the (estimated) pre-war population of 300,000 reduced by almost half with 149,000 killed.

The suffering of the Okinawan people at this time was exacerbated by the fact that they were (for the most part) just innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire. The aid-raids decimated much of the island and to make things worse, they were often arbitrarily executed in the streets by both the Americans and the Japanese leading to many families being completely destroyed.

In the aftermath of the war, almost ninety percent of the buildings on the islands were left destroyed and many cultural and historic treasures were lost. The people who were left had to pick up the pieces, rebuild their lives and also their homes.

Link: The Battle of Okinawa (Wikipedia)

The shrine room of the Naha Confucius Temple

When the war ended, as part of Japan’s terms of surrender, control of Okinawa was transferred to the United States and in conjunction with the newly formed Government of the Ryukyu Islands (琉球政府), the United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands (琉球列島米國民政府) were tasked with post-war reconstruction.

Most important to the Americans was that the islands infrastructure was constructed in a timely manner, to assist in their plans of constructing various bases on the islands, which to this day (in addition to their continued presence) remains a contentious issue with the locals.

The site of the original Confucius Temple fell victim to those development projects and instead of rebuilding the historic temple, a highway was constructed in its place.

Although there are few photographs available of the original temple, what we do know is that its construction and layout adhered to traditional designs of Confucius Temples with a Hall of Great Perfection (大成殿) in the middle of a large courtyard with buildings constructed on the east and west side. Later, an Education Hall (明倫堂) would be added and would serve as Okinawa’s first public school making the temple grounds a go-to location for your educational or literary needs.

Vocabulary Lesson

I’ve studied this stuff for a quite a while, but writing this blog forced me to learn a bunch of new vocabulary that required looking at stuff in Romanized Japanese, converting it to Chinese and then again to English. Let’s pause for a moment and take a look at some of the vocabulary to make it all a little easier to understand:  

Guide: Romanji / Katakana / Kanji / Pinyin / English

  • Shiseibyō / しせいびょう / 至聖廟 / zhì shèng miào / Confucius Temple

  • Taiseiden / たいせいでん / 大成殿/ dà chéng diàn / Hall of Great Perfection

  • Meirindō / めいりんどう / 明倫堂 / míng lún táng / Education Hall

  • Tensonbyō / てんそんびょう / 天尊廟 / tiān zūn miào / Tianzun Temple

  • Tempi / てんぴ / 天妃 / tiān fēi / Princess of Heaven (Mazu)

Kume Confucius Temple (久米至聖廟) 1975 - 2013

Three decades after the destruction of the original Confucius Temple, a remake was constructed on a plot of land close to where the original was located. The two acre plot of land flanked by a small mountain near the Naminoue Shinto Shrine (波上宮) provided ample space for the construction of the temple.

The land used to construct the new Confucius Temple was originally home to a Taoist shrine named “Tensonbyō” (天尊廟), which suffered a similar fate to many of Naha’s buildings during the American air-raids. The temple was dedicated to Yuanshi Tianzun (元始天尊), an important Taoist deity, and provided a space for Taoists to worship in Kume.

The new version of the Confucius Temple, which in Okinawa is known as “Shiseibyō” kept with traditional Confucius Temple design layouts with access to the temple through a Temple Gate (至聖門) which opened up to a large courtyard with the “Taiseiden” (大成殿) in the centre. In addition to the Confucius Temple though, the grounds also included a rebuild of the Tensonbyō, an additional building named Tenpigū (天妃宮) and a Meirindō on the eastern side.

The situation at this Confucius Temple today is a bit different however.

When the Confucius Temple relocated in 2013, changes were made at this location to reflect the history of the grounds.

The Taiseiden, which was once home to the Confucius Spirit Tablet was converted back into the Tensonbyō and today serves as the main shrine of the temple complex. The main shrine is dedicated to Taoist deities who are known for their devotion to the country and the protection of those within it.

Inside you’ll find a shrine to Lord Guan (關羽), the Dragon King (龍王) and the Goddess Tempi who is better known as Mazu (媽祖). With the statues of the Dragon King and Tempi moved out of their individual shrines, the buildings on the western side of the grounds have been left empty and are currently closed to the public.

Likewise, the Meirindō currently serves as a meeting place for the Kume-Sōseikai (久米宗聖會), a local Confucian Association and also as a library of historical documents relating to the Kumemura area.

While this particular temple isn’t as large as what I’ve become used to here in Taiwan, nor is it as historic, its simplicity in design and the way that it blends into nature make it a spot you’ll definitely want to stop by for a visit, especially if you’re on your way to the Shinto Shrine nearby.

Confucius Temple of the Ryukyus (琉球孔子廟) 2013 - Present

On June 15th, 2013, the Confucius Temple returned home after a seventy year absence to the plot of land where the original 1675 shrine once stood.

The move, which was considered a “dream come true” for many “Kuninda-chu” (久米人) was one that signaled a restoration of an important cultural shrine that was lost during the war and spent seven decades in limbo.

The inauguration ceremony for the newly constructed temple was attended by the mayor of Naha and the governor of Okinawa while the Kume-Sōseikai Association took care of transporting the Confucius Spirit Tablets through the streets of Kume in traditional fashion.

Link: Mortuary Tablet of Confucius Returns to Kume after 69 years (Ryukyu Shimpo)

The newly constructed Shiseibyō sits on a considerably smaller plot of land in comparison to the previous location in Wakasa (若狹町) and Its layout also differs significantly.

The temple is a walled-complex with a large Temple Gate (至聖門) acting as the entrance which opens up to a courtyard with the Hall of Great Perfection (大成殿) directly in the middle. To the east of the Main Hall you’ll find the Meirindō that acts a community centre, place of learning and administration building (but is not generally open to the public).

The Taiseiden is where you’ll find the most significant differences between the temples - The shrine room is much larger with a high ceiling and more floor space on the interior. The main shrine, like every Confucius Temple has a Confucius ‘Spirit Tablet’ (神位) but is flanked by a statue of the Confucius (which breaks with tradition) gifted to the temple by Taiwan’s former President Chiang Kai-Shek (蔣介石) shortly before his death.

Keeping with tradition, on either side of the main shrine you will find shrines dedicated to the Four Sages of Confucianism (四配), Yan Hui (顏子), Zengzi (曾子), Zisi (子思) and Mencius (孟子), all of whom were Confucius scholars and authored books expanding upon the Confucian philosophy after the death of their master.

Like all Confucius Temples, you’ll also find plaques (御匾) placed above each of the shrines - The plaques always consist of four characters and are verses used to describe Confucius and his philosophy.

The phrases aren’t the easiest to translate, but I’ve done my best.

Above the main shrine you’ll find “The Teacher for all Ages” (萬世師表), on the left “Lessons that transcend time” (萬世師表) and on the right “Education for All” (有教無類).

The exterior of the Main Hall is elevated with a set of stairs on the left and right with a stone dragon mural between them. The design is relatively simplistic but you’ll want to pay attention to the two stone dragon pillars and the beautifully designed plaque above the main door that reads “Hall of Great Perfection” in Chinese characters.

The Taiseden (Hall of Great Perfection)

Traditionally a Confucius Temple should also include what is known as the “Chongsheng Shrine” (崇聖祠) in a separate building to the rear of the Main Hall. The shrine is used to venerate the ancestors of Confucius as well as the various Confucian sages and philosophers throughout history.

At this temple, the designers took an approach that breaks with tradition, but to me seems quite ingenious considering the lack of space on the temple grounds. The Chongsheng Shrine at this temple is directly connected to the Taiseiden and is simply a small room to the rear of the building.

To reach the Chongsheng Hall, you just simply walk around to the back of the temple (right side) and you’ll find a door that opens up to a small shrine room. Unfortunately, like the main hall, you won’t be able to walk in to check it out.

Another interesting difference is that you’ll find another “Education for All” (有教無類) plaque placed above the shrine inside the Chongsheng shrine room.

You won’t typically find this kind of plaque in these shrine rooms (they’re always placed in the main shrine in honor of Confucius), but the temple found itself in a bit of a predicament when the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) gifted them with a new plaque.

So, to solve the problem, they simply put the older one in the back rather than throwing it into storage.

The Confucius Temple tends to be a quiet place and despite its cultural and historic importance, it doesn’t really attract many tourists. If you find yourself in Naha on September 28th however, which is known as “Teacher’s Day” (教師節) and Confucius’ birthday, you’ll be able to see the temple at its liveliest with ceremonies in honor of the sage.

Getting There

Getting to both of the temples is quite easy and is even easier if you have access to the internet and Google Maps. I’d suggest though that you travel on foot as it will give you the best opportunity to explore as well as save time and money.

If you’ve rented a car, you’ll definitely be able to find a car park nearby where you can drop off your car and check out the area. The problem with car parks though is that the parking fees are rather expensive and if you plan to visit the two temples as well as the Naminoue Shinto Shrine, you’re going to need a bit of time. If you’ve got a car, the best thing to do would be to leave it where you’re staying and take the monorail.

If you choose to walk, you can conveniently take the monorail to either the Prefectural Office Station (縣廳前站) or Miebashi Station (美栄站) and walk from there. I’d personally recommend walking from the Prefectural Office as it is a short walk and doesn’t require making too many turns, making it the easier route to navigate.

I’ve embedded a Google Map below which has the location of both temples and walking routes from both monorail stations.

For your reference, here are the addresses:

  1. 2013 Temple: #30-1 Kume District 2, Naha (沖繩縣那霸市久米2丁目30-1)

  2. 1975 Temple: #25-1 Wakasa District 1, Naha (沖繩縣那霸市若狹町1丁目25-1)

  3. Naminoue Shrine: #25-11 Wakasa District 1, Naha (沖繩縣那霸市若狹町1丁目25-11)


If you’re visiting Okinawa and are expecting to see a bunch of historic temples, shrines and castles, you’re in for a bit of surprise. The Americans bombed the crap out of most of them during the Second World War and re-shaped the island into their own little military playground. Even though the original 350 year old Confucius Temple was burnt to the ground during the air-raids, the temple that was built in its aftermath as well as the current Confucius Temple are well worth your time if you are in the area.

Confucian history in Okinawa is an important case-study in the international relations of the Ryukyu people and speaks to the modern history of the Pacific islands. The temple also speaks to the long-arm of the Ming and Qing and how that history fuels China’s modern expansionist ambitions.

If you’re in the city and you plan on visiting the Naminoue Shinto Shrine, I recommend stopping by both the modern and the historic locations for the Naha Confucius temple. They won’t take you that long to visit, you’ll get some pretty pictures and you won’t have to deal with many tourists. Even if you’re not a Confucius Temple nerd like me, they’re certainly worth your attention. 


Changhua Confucius Temple (彰化孔子廟)

Changhua County, in central Taiwan is an area that rarely receives the amount of attention it deserves, especially from tourists. The county sits on the western coast of the country and seems to have the unfortunate luck of being overshadowed by its popular neighbours, the city of Taichung (台中) to the north and the beautiful mountainous county of Nantou (南投) to the east.

A fast-growing industrial area that has attracted a lot of business thanks to the affordability of land and proximity to the Port of Taichung (台中港), Changhua has always been an ideal space for industry allowing the products that are manufactured there to be easily exported out of the country.

Few people however realize that Changhua has always been an important centre for trade and commerce with a history dating back hundreds of years to the Qing Dynasty. In fact, as one of Taiwan’s earliest centres for commerce, Changhua developed much earlier than other areas in Taiwan.

Like some of Taiwan’s other historic hot spots, Changhua not only developed at a fast pace but its residents earned a lot of money and in turn constructed extravagant places of worship which has left a historic footprint on the area that the people of today continue to enjoy. 

With historic buildings dating back to the 1700s and a wealth of delicious local cuisine, it’s unfortunate that Changhua hasn’t been able to make more of a name for itself within foreign tourists circles - but locals will always tell you how great the area is, especially since many of Taiwan’s most traditional dishes originated there.

Visiting Changhua is a simple two hour train or bus ride from the capital and travel times are even shorter if you splurge and take the High Speed Rail - Once you’re there though you can easily walk the streets and soak up all that the city has to offer.

Among the long list of historic buildings in Changhua is one of the nation’s oldest temples and places of learning - The Changhua Confucius Temple. With a history dating back over three centuries, not only is the temple one of the oldest in Taiwan, it is also among a very exclusive list of truly historic places dedicated to the worship of Confucian philosophy.

Taiwan is home to well over a dozen temples dedicated to Confucius, but only in a few rare cases are they as historic or as culturally significant as the Changhua temple.

If you’d like to learn more about Taiwan’s Confucius Temples check out the guide I wrote which explains in more detail the history of Confucianism in Taiwan - The Confucius Temple’s of Taiwan.

The Changhua Confucius Temple

The Changhua Confucius Temple holds the distinction of not only being one of the oldest Confucius Temples in Taiwan but also the site of the oldest places of higher learning in Taiwan.

Dating back to 1723 (大清雍正四年), the temple is only pre-dated by the Fengshan Confucius Temple (鳳山舊城孔子廟) in Kaohsiung and the Tainan Confucius Temple (台南孔廟)

Like most historic structures in Taiwan however, in order to properly explain their history, you need to explain how they’ve been able to survive through the different periods of Taiwan’s colonial history.

In the case of this temple, its history has successfully spanned the latter stages of the Qing Dynasty, the Japanese Colonial Era and the current Republic of China-era which should be considered a feat given the fact that colonial regimes have a bit of a habit of tearing down reminders of the past.

Likewise, it is important to note that when it comes to the history of older temples like this, facts tend to become a bit convoluted and you often have to take some of their history with a grain of salt.

So before I start, let me state things clearly: This temple truly is several hundred years old BUT it is currently only a fraction of its original size and has been renovated and restored several times throughout its history. Suffice to say, what you see today isn’t what you would have seen a century or more ago.

Qing Dynasty (1723 -1895)

During the 17th Century, Changhua was one of the four main areas established in Taiwan for mass-immigration from the Chinese mainland. Its important to note that even though the Qing “controlled” Taiwan for over two centuries, they only controlled small portions of the country, mostly on the western coast and were uninterested in venturing any further, due to hostile indigenous peoples who were (for the most part) uninterested in interacting with them.

In 1723, Changhua was granted “county” status by the Qing Emperor thanks to the economic success of trade between the port town of Lugang (鹿港) and China’s Fujian Province (福建省).

With its official designation as a county (and the favourable economic situation), local officials were able to start urban development projects that not only included fortifications but the construction of places of cultural significance.

In the 4th year of the reign of Emperor Yongzheng (雍正), construction started on what would be the site of the Changhua Confucius temple. In addition to the temple, plans were made to construct an educational institute, Baisha Academy (白沙書院) next door which would serve as one of the foremost institutes for higher learning in Taiwan.

  • Note: Baisha Academy later moved and is currently known as the “National Changhua University of Education” (國立彰化師範大學).

In 1726, County Magistrate Zhang Gao (張縞) hired craftsman from China to come to Taiwan to construct the temple. The craftsman brought with them not only their expertise but also the necessary building materials and stone carvings that were pre-made by artisans in China.

A few decades later, in 1786, the original Minglun Hall (明倫堂) and Baisha Academy were burnt to the ground during an anti-Qing rebellion known as the Lin Shuang-Wen Incident (林爽文事件).

Then, in 1816, thirty years after Baisha Academy and Minglun Hall were destroyed, the local government put together a plan to rebuild the school in its original location. The site where Minglun Hall once stood however was replaced by a shrine dedicated to the God of Literature (文昌帝君) making the Confucius Temple a one-stop shop for all your academic needs.

In 1830, the temple underwent its final major renovation which saw the addition of several shrines and the difficult task of raising the foundation of the main hall by over two feet, completing the layout that we see today.

Japanese Colonial Era (1895 - 1945)

The Japanese Empire took control of Taiwan in 1895 and wasted no time instituting reforms that sought to drastically reshape the island’s infrastructure and economy. Not only was the existing railway system modernized, it was greatly expanded upon and eventually connected the entire island. The original walls constructed by the Qing around cities like Taipei, Hsinchu, Changhua, and Yilan (among others) were torn down and urban renewal plans transformed the look of many of Taiwan’s urban centres.

Changhua in particular is a case where you can still enjoy the mastery of Japanese urban planning - The roads in the city are much wider than areas around the country and the city is designed in a way that makes it easy to traverse (although later development has muddled that up a bit).

The projects undertaken by the Japanese however meant that the walled parts of the city weren’t going to be the only casualties to improving the city’s urban planning - Many homes and businesses also fell victim to the plans.

History has shown that the Japanese weren’t really big fans of temples dedicated to Confucius, so when it came time to widen the roads around the temple they came up with plans to tear it down completely.

These plans however met with staunch indignation and protests from the locals, so accommodations were made to preserve the temple. Baisha Academy however was torn down and relocated.

In 1933, local residents committed funds for a restoration project that would ensure the continued survival of the temple and improve the condition of the Main Hall.

Republic of China (1945 - Current)

In 1945, when the Second World War finally came to an end, as part of the terms of their surrender, the Japanese were forced to give up their colonies. The allied leaders (ambiguously) decided at the Cairo Conference that control of Taiwan would “returned” to Chiang Kai-Shek’s Republic of China.

The problem with the decision and the reason why it has remained ambiguous for so many decades is that the ‘Republic of China’ (中華民國) was a non-existent entity when the Japanese took control of Taiwan in 1895 and the Qing never really had any interest in fully controlling Taiwan.

The claim that Taiwan belonged to “China” was and still remains a contentious one.

Political arguments aside, (there is a reason why I mention this) the Nationalists at that time were embroiled in a bitter Civil War against the Communists and had little time to deal with what was happening in Taiwan.

For the first few years control of Taiwan was given to Garrison Commander Chen Yi (陳儀), an infamous figure in Taiwanese history who will forever be remembered as the architect of the 228 Massacre.

As the Communists declared victory in the Civil War though, Chiang Kai-Shek, his government, military forces and elite members of society retreated to Taiwan as a last ditch effort to regroup their forces and continue the struggle against the Communists.

Upon arrival, Chiang Kai-Shek inherited a well-developed island but the sudden influx of more than two million refugees put a considerable amount of strain on Taiwan’s existing infrastructure. This further enflamed tensions between the people of Taiwan (who in turn became second class citizens) and the refugees which contributed the a long period of Martial Law that ensued.

When the refugees first arrived the housing situation was quite dire, so to solve the problem, temporary measures were made to construct military communities. Additionally buildings like the Changhua Confucius Temple were opened up for people to take up short-term residency.

In 1949, permits were awarded to vendors to set up stalls at the temple gate in order to allow people to not only earn a living but to feed those living in the area. The vendors, in addition to the squatters living in the temple complicated the situation at the temple and its long-term health became an issue with the local population.

Due to the deterioration of the temple, the government drafted plans in the 1970s to tear it down and instead use the land to construct a shopping centre. The temple would then be relocated and reconstructed on Bagua Mountain (八卦山).

Once again the residents of Changhua were forced to stand up to yet another colonial regime to ensure the continued existence of their historic temple. The ensuing pressure that was put on the government forced officials to eventually capitulate to their demands and instead of tearing the temple down, they decided to instead restore it.

In the years since that restoration project was completed the temple has been awarded the designation of becoming a National Historic Site (國定古蹟), is recognized as one of the ‘Top Religious Sites’ in Taiwan and has become a popular tourist attraction.

Design

Confucius temples tend to be uniform in their simplicity - Unlike the overwhelming beauty of Taiwanese folk temples and Taoist temples - Confucius temples stand alone in their almost "zen-like" nature. You won’t find any shiny gold or bronze decorations nor will you find beautifully painted murals on the walls or hundreds of sticks of incense creating a haze throughout the temple.

The simplicity exhibited in the Confucius temples found throughout most of East Asia is a show of respect to Confucius as well as the importance of his philosophical views of education and his influence on Chinese culture and history.

One of the common features of all Confucius temples is that there is no imagery or statues of Confucius. This is a rule that goes back almost 500 years to the Ming Dynasty (明朝) when the emperor decreed that all Confucius temples should be uniform and only have "spirit tablets" (神位) rather than images of the sage. 

The design of the Changhua Confucius Temple adheres to the most traditional construction standards for Confucius Temples. In fact, as I mentioned above, the original designers and craftsmen who constructed the temple were brought over directly from China for the sole purpose of building the temple.

Even though the temple we see today has pieces that were later added and others that have disappeared, the complex is still one of the best examples of traditional Confucius Temple design in Taiwan making it an important historical relic.

Lingxing Gate (櫺星門)

The Lingxing Gate acts as the main entrance to the temple and is a necessary part of any Confucius temple. The gate symbolizes Confucianism's ‘willingness to accept anyone with talent and virtue' and the name Lingxing refers to the Taoist Star of Knowledge (櫺星) whom Confucius is often regarded as a reincarnation of.

When it comes to the architecture of the Lingxing Gate at Taiwan’s Confucius Temple’s, the designs tend to vary. In some cases the gate may be a freestanding structure similar to that of a Torii at a Japanese Shinto Shrine. In other cases the gate may be constructed in the form of a building that has a wall on either side that helps to enclose the complex.

The Lingxing Gate at the Changhua Confucius Temple is a proper gate that connects to the perimeter of the temple. The design follows the ‘Five-Kaijian’ (五開間) style which means that the gate has five doors which are separated by pillars. The gate also has a roof that is separated into three different sections with a swallow-tail design at each end.

As is the case with other Confucius Temples, the Door Gods (門神) you typically find at other temples around Taiwan are absent and according to tradition are instead replaced simply with 108 metal studs.

Ji Gate (戟門)

The “Ji Gate” at the Changhua Confucius Temple was a ‘first’ in Confucian Temple design in Taiwan - While the gate is common in older Confucius Temple’s in China, here in Taiwan due to a lack of space these gates are usually left out when the temples were designed.

In Chinese, the word “Ji” (戟) refers to a hybrid-style weapon that was used for thousands of years by infantrymen in China. The weapon resembles a spear but also has an ax-dagger.

Tradition has it that when military personnel entered a Confucius Temple they would have to leave their weapons at the gate as a sign of respect for the sage.

The Ji Gate acts as the second gate of the Confucius Temple but like the Lingxing Gate before it, its huge doors are rarely ever opened. Instead the are two round doors to either side of the gate that provide entry to the main area of the temple complex.

The round doors are an absolute treat and are common in a lot of the historic temples in Changhua - unfortunately something that became a less common practice with newer buildings.

Dacheng Hall (大成殿)

The Dacheng Hall or “Hall of Great Perfection” is the main shrine area of a Confucius Temple. 

The exterior of the hall is minimalist in design but you will want to pay close attention to some of the wooden carvings as well as the craftsmanship of the two stone dragon columns and the twenty other pillars that encircle the exterior.

The interior of the hall likewise is a simple set up with a shrine that has a Confucius Spirit Tablet (神位) in the middle with a table in front of it for offerings.

On either side of the Confucius shrine there are additional shrines with spirit plaques dedicated to the four sages (四配): Yan Hui (顏子), Zengzi (曾子), Zisi (子思) and Mencius (孟子) who were Confucian scholars and authored books expanding upon the Confucian philosophy.

Above the shrine are several plaques (御匾) that were placed by the Yongzheng Emperor (雍正), the Qianlong Emperor (乾隆), the Jiaqing Emperor (嘉慶), the Xianfeng Emperor (咸豐), the Tongzhi Emperor (同治), and former President Chiang Ching-Kuo (蔣經國), who all praised Confucius’ superior knowledge and personal character.

The plaques and their meanings are as follows:

  • Yongzheng Emperor (1726) - “生民未有” (A Person of Unsurpassed Intelligence)

  • Qianlong Emperor (1739) - “與天地參” (At One with the Heavens and the Earth)

  • Jiaqing Emperor (1798) - “聖集大成” (Combined Wisdom of the Sages)

  • Xianfeng Emperor (1851) - “德齊幬載” (All Encompassing Virtue)

  • Tongzhi Emperor (1862) - “聖神天縱” (Divine Wisdom)

  • President Chiang Ching-Kuo - “道貫古今” (Tao is Universal Through all Times)

Even though the Hall of Great Perfection is rather plain in comparison to Taiwan’s other temples you’ll still want to pay attention to some of the designs on the exterior, especially the two stone dragon columns - The pair of dragons date back to 1830 and are similar in design as they encircle the column. They differ only in the fact that one of them has a closed mouth while the other is open. Likewise the carved designs on the wooden gables are beautiful as well. 

Chongsheng Shrine (崇聖祠)

As with tradition, the Chongsheng Shrine is located directly behind the Dacheng Hall and is used as a shrine room to venerate the ancestors of Confucius as well as the various Confucian sages and philosophers throughout history.

The shrine room is not unlike a shrine room that you'd find in any large Taiwanese home and is an important place for ancestral worship. It consists of an altar with spirit plaques and a couple of red lights. In front of the altar there is a table for placing offerings.

There are additionally two shrines both to the left and right of the main shrine but truthfully when I was there the shrines, which have several spirit plaques on them were blocked by stacks of benches. It would seem that the staff at the temple consider the shrine room to be more useful as a storage space than what it is actually supposed to be for.

Getting There

 

The Changhua Confucius Temple is conveniently located a short distance away from both the Changhua Train Station (彰化車站) and the Changhua Bus Terminal (彰化客運站).

The downtown core of the city is perfectly walkable and if you’re arriving by train or bus and want to visit some of the city’s historic sights, you’ll be happy to know that they are all relatively close to each other.

If you are driving a car I’d recommend simply finding a parking spot and getting rid of your car for the duration of your visit. The beauty of this historic city is best experienced on two feet and you will have definitely missed out on most of it if you’re driving.

You can find history (and amazing food) in every little alley in the city, so if you take the time and pay enough attention you’ll be able to learn quite a bit - and eat extremely well in the process.

The Confucius Temple is located at #30 Kongmen Street (孔門路30號).

The temple is open Tuesday - Sunday from 8:30am - 5:00pm.

It is only closed on Mondays, national holidays and on election days. Entry is free of charge.

If you’re walking from the train station simply cross the street and walk straight down Guangfu Road (光復路) until you reach Minsheng Road (民生路). From there make a right turn and continue walking straight until you reach the temple.

The Confucius Temple is also conveniently located near the base of Changhua’s historic Bagua Mountain (八卦山), so if you are driving a car you should be able to find adequate parking if you can’t find anything near the temple.

Within a short walking distance from the temple not only will you find a wealth of great food to eat, but the Bagua Mountain Great Buddha, Changhua Roundhouse, City God Temple, Mazu Temple, Martial Arts Hall, etc.

Taiwan is home to well over a dozen Confucius Temples but rarely are they as complete and as historic as the Changhua Confucius Temple. With an almost three century year history, this quiet little temple sitting the heart of historic Changhua City is one of the highlights of any visit to the area and if you are interested in Taiwanese history and traditional architecture, you’ll definitely want to stop by this one for a quick visit.

No matter where you live in Taiwan, I recommend hopping on a train for a day trip to this beautiful central Taiwan city where you’ll be treated to historic temples, amazing food and displays of Taiwanese culture that you so often miss if you spend all your time in Taipei.


Yilan Confucius Temple (宜蘭孔廟)

When most people plan a day trip to Yilan, their itinerary usually consists of spending time enjoying the beautiful mixture of mountain and ocean landscape, relaxing in a volcanic hot spring bath and of course ending the day with a visit to the famous Luodong Night Market (羅東夜市).

Being the preferred destination for the residents of Taipei, the east coast comes alive on weekends and holidays with city dwellers looking to enjoy a bit of relaxation in one of Taiwan’s most beautiful areas.

I’m not most people though.

Sure, I’m a fan of hot spring resorts and yes the Luodong Night Market is absolutely amazing - But these things are usually only afterthoughts when I’m planning a visit to the area.

The cool thing about Yilan, (at least for me) is that it is full of temples - historic and modern - and they are all huge.

You see, Yilan is made up mostly of farms and that means there is a lot of space.

It is also full of farmers, who have over the past few centuries pooled together their wealth of resources to construct ornate temples that on average dwarf in size the temples that you’ll find throughout the rest of the country.

If you’re a temple-hopper like myself you can most-definitely look forward to a long and enjoyable day exploring whenever you visit Yilan.

I realize that most people aren’t as enthusiastic as I am about this kind of stuff but I still highly recommend that you at least stop by one of Yilan’s massive places of worship to learn a bit about the culture of the area.

While most of Yilan’s temples go out of their way to be large and ornate, the county’s Confucius Temple sits quietly and with little fanfare in the middle of the downtown core of Yilan City.

Confucius Temple’s can seem a bit out of place when compared to Taiwan’s other places of worship considering they stress a philosophy of simplicity while all the Taoist and Folk-Religion temples go out of their way to be the exact opposite.

If you’ve followed my blog over the past few years you may have noticed that one of my personal projects has been to photograph and introduce Taiwan’s various Confucius Temples -  Most of which receive very little attention from English-language writers or travel guides.

Link: The Confucius Temples of Taiwan

This historic temple has been on my list of places to visit for quite some time and although I was forewarned that it is a bit disappointing in comparison to the other Confucius Temple’s around the country, I was still happy to be able to check it off the list and introduce it to anyone who’d like to visit.

The Yilan Confucius Temple (宜蘭孔廟)

There is very little English-language literature available online about this temple but what you will be able to find is the bold claim that the temple has a long history dating back to 1868.

While this isn’t technically a false claim, it isn’t exactly true either.

The history of the Yilan Confucius Temple is actually a tale of two different temples which were constructed in two different locations.

You may think that this is some sort of translation error but Chinese-language literature is quick to offer the same dates as historic fact.

Basically the history of a “Confucius Temple” in Yilan, or the “organization” that took care of the temple dates back over a century and a half but doesn’t actually relate to the building that you see today.

The Old Confucius Temple (舊孔廟)

Dating back to the Qing Dynasty, the original Confucius Temple was constructed near the Eastern Gate (東門) within (was was then) the walled area of “Komalan Sub-prefecture” (葛瑪蘭廳).

The original temple was modelled after the design of the Tainan Confucius Temple but was renowned for having the ‘Most beautiful Dacheng Hall in all of Taiwan’ (全台最美的大成殿).

Today all that remains of the original temple is a simple brick wall in a narrow alley within the Xinmin Road Central Market (新民路中央市場).

Construction started in 1868 and when it was completed a few years later it was the largest structure within the walled-city and also one of the most important.

Unlike the current iteration of the temple, the original was considered to be a more “complete” Confucius Temple which (as mentioned above) was based off of the Tainan design.

Link: Tainan Confucius Temple (台南孔廟)

The temple consisted of a Lingxing Gate (櫺星門), Dacheng Hall (大成殿), Chongsheng Hall (崇聖祠), Minglun Hall (明倫堂), several different gates, a pond, a bridge, a courtyard, etc.

During the latter stages of the Qing Dynasty, emphasis was placed on the promotion of Confucian-style education and governance making the temple an important symbol and the only one on the eastern coast of the island.

When the Japanese Colonial Era began in 1895, the government was quick to institute modern educational reforms and the temple was repurposed as a medical centre until a proper hospital could be constructed. When the medical facilities were later relocated to a newly constructed hospital, the temple complex was left abandoned and fell into a state of disrepair.

In the years following it was damaged several times by typhoons and earthquakes as well as the American bombing campaigns during the Second World War.

In 1951, a series of devastating typhoons damaged the temple beyond repair and it was decided that it would have to be torn down and rebuilt.

Demolition and Construction Controversies

In Taiwan, the demolition of a Temple is no simple matter and there are an infinite amount of considerations that need to take place before a temple is torn down.

Confucius Temples are a bit different than Buddhist, Taoist or Folk Religion places of worship in terms of superstition, however there is still a tremendous amount of respect for the building and what it stands for.

So, when it came time for solutions to deal with the dilapidated Yilan Confucius Temple it became a situation that created quite a few controversies.

First, the demolition would have to be taken care of in a respectful manner, but the company that was charged with its demolition was charged with violating its contract and stealing the precious timber that was used to construct the temple.

While the temple was being demolished, the question of where the new temple would be constructed also became a point of contention that erupted in public protests.

The government had selected the site of the Yilan Shinto Shrine (宜蘭神社) in the nearby Yuanshan Township (員山鄉) as the place where the shrine would be built. The problem with this was that even though the Shinto Shrine was a reminder of Taiwan’s colonial past, it was still considered a sacred site, so replacing it with a Confucius Temple proved to be quite unpopular.

Another issue is that Confucius Temples are traditionally constructed near schools on a flat piece of land - The site of the Yilan Shinto Shrine however wasn’t near a school and it was constructed on a mountain which meant that the construction of a Confucian Temple in this area would defy traditional architectural standards which were set almost a thousand years earlier.

The government eventually capitulated and selected a site that was near Yilan City’s North Gate (北門) and more importantly, next to a school.

Unfortunately the project to construct a new temple met with financial constraints and forced the construction team to take shortcuts not only with the design of the temple but also the materials that would be used to build it. While the current temple generally follows traditional standards, they had to make concessions and used concrete instead of wood to imitate the tradition designs.

That wouldn’t be the last controversy though as while the new Confucius Temple was still under construction it was decided that the site of the original temple would be converted into a traditional wet market, which for some people was an insulting decision. This time however the government didn’t capitulate and a 1200 square meter market known today as the Xinming Road Central Market (新明路中央市場) stands in its place.

The New Confucius Temple (新孔廟)

Construction on the new Yilan Confucius Temple started in 1952 (民國41年) and as mentioned above would end up being a project mired by controversy.

The controversies would continue for the almost two decades it took to complete the project which is coincidentally a reflection of the current state of the temple - Which is suffice to say, one that is not very impressive and is sadly unkept.

In 1954 (民國43年), two years after construction on the temple complex started, the Dacheng Hall would be the first building to be completed making it the oldest structure on site.

It would take until 1969 (民國58年) for most of the other pieces, including the Chongsheng Shrine, Dacheng Gate, side halls, etc. to finally be completed.

One of the common features of Confucian Temples is that they are very minimalist in design and decoration. The Yilan temple however takes that simplicity to an extreme which is not something that was originally intended.

While you’ll find simple wooden carvings and murals on the exterior and interior of Taiwan’s other Confucian Temples, they are all completely absent at the Yilan temple - which is something that could ultimately be rectified if someone actually put a little effort into it

I’m not really able to sugarcoat things when it comes to this Confucius Temple - It isn’t that old but it looks really rundown and uncared for - which is something I was warned about before I went to check it out.

Unlike its counterparts in Taipei and Tainan, this version likely isn’t really considered much of a tourist destination, which is quite evident as when I was there I happened to be the only visitor.

I’m not actually sure why the local government has allowed the temple to become so run down, but I’m sure that with a little TLC it could become an important tourist destination for people visiting Yilan.

Lingxing Gate (櫺星門)

The Lingxing Gate traditionally acts as the entrance to a Confucius Temple.

The gate typically forms a perimeter around the courtyard and the Dacheng Hall with halls connected to the gate on either side of the interior.

In most cases the gate is likely to be the most ornate part of the entire temple with murals to the sides of the main entrance as well as intricate designs on the roof but in the case of the Yilan temple, there is very little in terms of design and comes across as very plain.

Dacheng Hall (大成殿)

The Dacheng Hall which translates loosely as “The Hall of Great Perfection” is the main shrine area of any Confucius temple.

The hall traditionally sits in the middle of a large cobblestone courtyard on an elevated platform with a walkway around the perimeter.

The interior of the hall is a very simple set up with the Confucius Spirit Tablet set up on the main shrine with two plaques above it that read "Education for all" (有教無類), a phrase taken from the Analects of Confucius (論語) and “The Teacher for all Ages” (萬世師表) which is a phrase used to pay honour to Confucius.

There are an additional two shrines in the room found on the left and right walls of the hall which are dedicated to the “Four Sages” (四配) Yan Hui (顏子), Zengzi (曾子), Zisi (子思) and Mencius (孟子). The Four Sages were Confucian scholars who helped to improve upon and spread the philosophy created by their master.

Link: The Four Sages (Wikipedia)

The Dacheng Hall at the Yilan Confucius Temple has a design that differs from most of the other Confucius Temples in Taiwan which to its credit is one of the few aspects of this temple that makes it stand out from the others.

Most notably, from the exterior it looks like it is two storeys in height but in actuality only has one floor with a shrine room that is considerably higher than what you’d generally see in a temple of this kind.

Also of note is the beautifully designed roof which has two different levels with pillars that separate them - while the roof could look better with some of the designs that are common with the other Dacheng Halls around Taiwan, it has been taken over by nature with plants growing on top of it, which I think adds to its beauty.

Chongsheng Shrine (崇聖祠)

The Chongsheng Shrine is traditionally situated behind the main Dacheng Hall in all Confucius Temples. The shrine is used to venerate several generations of the ancestors of Confucius in addition to the various Confucian sages and philosophers throughout history.

This shrine room is not unlike one that you'd find in any large Taiwanese home and acts as an important place for the ancestral worship of Confucius’s descendants, who have spread throughout China, Taiwan and Korea. The Confucius Temples that you find around Asia thus act as an ancestral shrine which offers the family a place to worship.

The Chongsheng Shrine at the Yilan Confucius Temple in particular is a small one and strangely unlike almost all of the other Confucius Temples in Taiwan isn’t open to the public. You can look at the interior of the shrine from the door but there is a gate that blocks access.

Getting There

 

The Yilan Confucius Temple is situated within the downtown core of Yilan City and is about a ten minute walk from the Yilan Train Station (宜蘭車站).

From the train station simply make a right turn on Yixing Road (宜興路) and once you reach the Donggang Overpass (東港路橋) make a left turn on Xinxing Road (新興路) and keep walking straight until you reach the temple.

If you are driving a car, the temple is located at #170 Xinxing Road (170號新興路) and should have street parking nearby.

The Yilan Confucius Temple isn’t really what I’d consider a tourist destination but if you’re in the area and are looking for something to do, you might want to consider stopping by.

A visit to the temple won’t require much of your time and if you do visit you’ll also be within walking distance of the Dongmen Night Market (東門夜市), the historic Yilan City God Temple (宜蘭城隍廟) and the cutesy Jimmy Park (幾米公園) in front of the Train Station.